It is advantageous for some business systems and promotional graphics to provide a label having a pressure sensitive adhesive which is attached to the forms so the computer can print information on the label at the time other information is added to the form. At other times the label is not computer imaged but is attached to the form for convenient use when needed.
The common practice in attaching labels to forms is to use a three layer label. The top layer is the label with a pressure sensitive adhesive on its back. The second or middle layer is a paper ply with a release coating on the face and a pressure sensitive adhesive coating on its back. The third layer is a paper with a release coating on its face.
In use, the three layer label which has been manufactured in advance as an assembly is fed into a label applicator. The bottom layer is peeled off thus exposing the pressure sensitive adhesive coating on the back of the middle layer. The bottom layer is used to transport the labels through the applicator device and then is disposed of as waste. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the back of the middle layer is used to attach the label to the form.
Finally, the user peels off the top layer which is the label with a pressure sensitive adhesive on its back. This label can then be attached to a package as a shipping label, to a product for identification or however needed. The middle layer remains attached to the form by the pressure sensitive adhesive on its back surface and, in effect, becomes waste.
The assignee hereof made an improvement to this pressure sensitive form by using a two layer label. The top layer is again a label with a pressure sensitive adhesive on its back. The second layer is a paper ply with a release coating on its face. This, however, has been manufactured in advance as an assembly. The assembly, at the time of application to the business form, is unrolled and adhesive is applied to the back of the second layer. The assembly is then cut at longitudinally spaced intervals and discrete two layer labels applied to an advancing business form web.
The use of the form is very similar to the three label version in that the label (layer 1) is peeled off and attached where needed and layer 2 remains attached to the form as waste. This two layer label has a significant cost savings in that it costs only 40 to 60% as much as the three layer label. This is a very important savings because the label material is on the order of 10 times the cost of the business forms.
It is an objective of this invention to provide a form with a pressure sensitive label attached that will give improved computer image in the area beneath the pressure sensitive label by eliminating the release coated bottom layer. Typically, this ply is on the order of 0.004" thick and is a relatively stiff material that substantially interferes with imaging whether by means of carbonized tissue, spot carbon coating or carbonless coating.
It is another objective of this invention to substantially reduce the cost of the pressure sensitive label applied to the form. This is accomplished first by eliminating the waste layers of the previous practice and second by using a method that can be completely performed on the line--thus eliminating the three step process of the present method, i.e., first laminating the top layer with the bottom layer--and sometimes even a middle layer--by a label material converter. Secondly, the label assembly is printed and die cut. Thirdly, the bottom layer is removed from the assembly and discarded. Only then can the label be attached and registered to the form.
According to the invention a single ply of label-providing web is employed. This may be paper, foil, or film and usually is a heavier basis weight than the business form. At the time and place of application of the label to the business form web, a coating of adhesive is applied to the label providing web. This adhesive may be pressure sensitive but the adhesive may take other forms and characteristics depending upon the ultimate use. After coating, the label providing web is cut to provide individual labels that are applied sequentially to an advancing business form web.
In the illustrated embodiment, the business form web is equipped with an area of release coating to which the label is applied. When certain easily releasable pressure sensitive adhesives are employed, it may not be necessary to use a release coating on the business form. From this summary, it will be appreciated that the invention eliminates a need for separate conversion as well as waste layer or layers.